Paper towns: An unusual circumstance
by BrazenThree9
Summary: When Margo loses all contact with Quentin she moves on and enjoys life for a while, until a fateful event at central park, with a stranger whose mystery is even more strange than the night.
1. Chapter 1

**Quentin's return.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **AU:** _(Hey everyone I'm just casually writing just to refine my writing skills. Please review if you can and want to. Enjoy!)_

'It's been six months now.'

Six months since Quentin changed all his details and never contacting her even for a hearty hello. Margo was busy working with a small band organizing their equipment and the stage lights. It had been rough these few months, how she longed for the adventure of mischievous wrongdoings back at high school. She had run the thoughts through her head many times over, how she missed prom to just get away from that paper town, but it was necessary. The rustle and mumble of the rumours that she was the queen of high school, she didn't need that anymore. She was more outgoing now and enjoying the little things like how the lead singer would drink a mixture of tea and honey before each play at a bar, or how for instance the drummer always wore his same pair of gloves believing that they had luck intertwined with them.

'I have turned into a small paper girl. Yet I still haven't found what I'm looking for.'

She sighed, as the crowd screamed for an encore she sat back and just enjoyed the silent noises in her head. It was easy to ignore them; to her it was like kissing Quentin again, focusing on the kiss and just ignoring everything around you, embracing the soft lips or…

'Damnit, there I go again I should get him out of my head. He's probably moved on by now, forgotten about our kiss and just be his heroic little self-impressing boy.' As the band ended the show their manager came to Margo.

"Great work with the lights, didn't think those colours would work on the stage like that. You always outdo yourself."

Margo had a small grin on her face and looked at Justin. He was 35 years old and already going bold. He had a small belly but it was the entire excessive sugar intake that he took every day.

"I just followed the rhythm of one of their songs the rest was simply just timing; you should stop eating those mars candy bars. They're not good for you." Justin let out a small laugh. He knew she was right as always. "Maybe I should, but you still have to meet that mysterious boy you told me about and then maybe I'll follow our bet."She shook her head and smiled as she walked away getting ready to pack away all the lights and electronics.

'It's nice being a small paper girl, delivering papers to important places so no one would think anything was out of place.' That was how she ruled the school, doing minor things that would have a bigger impact on everyone. Always how she did it was always over exaggerated by all of her school friends. She was simply doing the unnoticeable thing at the right time so everyone would find their world a bit better. It was a quarter to twelve now , yet still she couldn't rest her mind was focused on what if . Those two words were clawing at her the whole time. What if Quentin came with her to New York how different would that be. What if she had stayed for prom, gotten a beautiful dress that would stun everyone and still dance with Quentin as planned.

'Damnit I should go out for some fresh air.'

She walked out of her apartment wearing a blue sweater with a small hoodie that would barely fit over her head. Apparently it was a factory fault, but she loved the idea that some small machine had a slight error with it shining needle. The moon was glowing brightly tonight illuminating the trees of central park and shining brighter than the street lights. It was a rare occasion when this happened, so she would enjoy it while it lasted. As she passed central park she noticed how two young men were talking erratically and loud. It took Margo a few minutes before she could hear their annoying voices.

"You see I didn't know what I was doing, I was so lost after he died. Everything and everyone blamed me, so I just deleted my life and ran. Haven't stopped since." He looked at the ground with a sound of sadness in his voice.

"We all have choices that we regret; some people just don't talk as easily as you do. My regret was that I lied myself into a corner that I couldn't return from. So I took all my money and ran. Seen a lot of things since then realized that I made mistakes yet I don't know how to fix them." He answered in return. Looking him in the eyes.

"I also lost 'her'." He retorted. He put an emphasis on that word, like a storm waiting to break open the rain and hail down the thunder. Margo was listening with such intention that she didn't notice the pole in front of her. She walked into and a loud clang went out, she stumbled and held her head for a few seconds not knowing if she should laugh at her own clumsiness or shout at the pole for being in front of her. She did something in between and stood for a moment looking at the two young men. That's when she recognized those eyes. "Quentin…"

AU: (So how's the cliffhanger?)


	2. Chapter 2

**The meeting**

 **Chapter 2**

 **AN:** _(Okay first of all thank you guys for viewing the story and reviewing it never thought this would happen though. Thanks for the reviews, as always If you like it please favourite it and review, enjoy!)_

"Quentin…" She looked on with a glare that would chase any man away. Yet this strange on looker remained but she wasn't glaring at him. She practically ran towards Quentin, and proceeded to smack him hard against the face. He held his cheek for a while, before meeting her gaze. He seemed so sad to her, like a millennium had passed through his eyes that had a lot of regrets. Those beautiful mesmerizing eyes that would entice anyone for interest and a small conversation.

"Margo, I thought I would never see you-" She cut him off by hugging him tightly; leaving his arms up in the air and dumbfounded.

"Margo, I..."

"Shut up, the first one was for not contacting me. This hug is for you never to leave me again." They stood in the under the lamplight for a few seconds just snuggling into each other's soft embrace.

"Margo, I made a few mistakes but I'll be a paper boy for this amazing paper girl if she'll take me back." She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss and retreated. He almost immediately protested and looked stunned.

"Well, I seem to be intruding into matters that don't concern me, it was nice meeting you." The stranger said turning his back on them starting to walk into the cold night.

"Wait, don't you need a place to stay for a while? You sound like you need as much help as I do." He stopped and turned to them looking at Quentin, then at Margo, then back again.

"I can't ask you to do that for me, I've been running for a while now don't know anything else." He responded with a quite a sad voice and frown looking at Margo with some intent.

"Margo he just needs a job and place to hang out for a few weeks. Can you help out as a favour for me?"

"Sure you guys can follow me back to my apartment." Margo replied with a suspicious voice.

They passed central park and after ten minutes of walking through the street maze that was New York. Passing apartment after apartment, street lamps and benches were empty this late in the night. Quentin never let go of Margo's hand as they walked to her apartment, this moment reminded him of his first kiss with her, a clear starry night with the moon glowing brighter than anything that was visible.

As they approached Margo's apartment he was growing more and more nervous, would he lie to these two strangers two who was helping him in his dire time of need. He promised to himself that he would stop no more lies and truth as it would be his freedom into this new life. He closed his eyes and imagined being lost in a city where the darkness would encroach on him. It felt like he had been here before, at the crossroads of friends and the new beginning.

"Thank you, for your help, Margo was it?" he spoke to her in a soft and gentle voice not to invoke any anger.

"She turned her head towards him and smiled. "It's a pleasure although would you do me a favour and tell me your name? Don't want to go calling you stranger the whole time." He let out a small giggle.

"My name is Jason."

 **AN:** _(Who is this new stranger that has crossed paths with them who knows maybe i should just plan this more. Currently I'm just writing as the ideas come to me. But anyway please tell me what you thought about this chapter!)_


	3. Chapter 3

**An unusual circumstance**

 **Chapter 3**

 **AN: _(Hey guys I'm back again hope you're all doing well, this is a new chapter within a few hours. Please Review if you liked it critique is welcome and as always enjoy!)_**

"My name is Jason." A small grin crossed the tall teen's face, showing a small sign of happiness.

'This is quite an unusual circumstance, meeting someone in the dead of night at a rotten dumpster and just starting a conversation, as usual with my life. Hopefully I don't screw this up.' The thoughts of his past were drowning back into him again as they approached Margo's apartment, luckily he was good at blocking out the pain and the voices that always threatened him so. He'll have to tell someone someday.

"Well here's my so called home away from home. The place where all my paper ideas are stored, surveyed and brought to life." Margo said putting her hands high up into the air to emphasize her statement. Jason and Quentin looked on with amazement in their eyes. The walls were dotted with maps, posters, travel guides and quotes, it seemed like there was more chaos than anything else but to Jason he recognized this as organized chaos. Random thoughts or ideas that would lead to a eureka moment, or just a reminder of things that motivated you to why you do things and what your aiming to do in this life.

"You have been busy these past months, _carpe diem_." Margo rolled her eyes as he said those familiar words but she did smile at it. Quentin was looking at a drawing with the moon and only two people standing beneath it with their foreheads touching. Jason also sneaked a view of the picture in before returning his gaze to the assortment of maps and places that were marked either with drawing pins that each had different colours and encircled towns; some towns were crossed out and others were simply scratched out.

"So what are these for Margo? Maybe places you want to visit he said continuing to scan the wall before returning his gaze to her.

"Well, I'm a small paper girl for a music band we hold most of our shows here in Brooklyn but we do have a few country tours in a year. So I have already planned on what, were and how were going to get to some of these areas. As for that drawing Quentin it's a small memory I keep of us in case one of us forgot. My drawing skills need some work though."

Quentin smiled with a small smile. Yes he had regrets but it wasn't the end of the line, that decision though had changed his life completely.

"That night I set events into motion that still haunts me now, although that's a story for another night. You're with a band now? Never thought the amazing Margo would scoop so low." He was teasing her and she blushed slightly at the complement and hit him square on the arm. Her thoughts were still lingering on how Quentin got to New York. That would be a mystery for another evening as right now she enjoyed the conversing with Quentin and Jason who was surprisingly smart and a good converser.

"My story is a strange one." Jason said lower his head, revealing his bony shoulders and the light tint of gold in his chocolate brown hair. I'll tell you this much I'm not from anywhere in the States, I'm not only a stranger to you but a stranger to this lush country. Every lie has a consequence, every lie you hide, weaves a web of uncertainty until finally the web is so stretched thin that it breaks and can't be resown.

"You made mistakes we all do sometimes they take long to be fixed, remember it's a sign of strength to cry out against fate rather than to bow one's head and succumb." Quentin replied seeing the sadness and feeling a sense of dread from him. "Well I…"

He was rudely interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Hello, Margo are you alone in there?"

 **AN:** _ **(End of chapter 3 what do you guys think?)**_


	4. Chapter 4

**The good morning run**

 **Chapter 4**

 _AN: (Hello everyone I'm back again with another chapter, been busy these past few days. Question for everyone out there would you read my book if I had one published? Anyway enjoy the story guys and review if you liked it and as always enjoy!)_

"Hello, Margo are you alone in you in there?"

The voice rang through Quentin and Jason's mind; they darted quickly around looking for a spot to hide. Margo looked on in astonishment how fast they were and just shook her head. She went and saw it was her friend Marian and slightly prepared herself to look tired. She waited until she heard a second knock before responding.

"I'm coming." She tried to sound as tired as possible in an attempt to deceive her.

"What time is it?" Margo said as she opened the door for the redhead. She tried to look as dazed as possible and the trick worked. She had long hair that went all the way past her lower back and almost touching her lower reaches.

"Almost two-thirty, but that's not the point, for now at least I need a favour just for tonight. You won't have a choice in the matter because when you wake up it will start from there and end right at the same spot where you are now. Anyway that favour might involve some trouble making and racing through central park."

Marian looked at Margo with a small smile on her face; Marian was dating the drummer but something seemed off in her eyes. She waited for her answer.

"Alright, I'll do it but what is it about?" Margo looked at her with a pair of eyes that seemed quite confused as the situation, she almost never asked for help.

"Well that is going to be a secret for a small while, but until then get some sleep because tomorrow or if you're going to be more specific today is going to be quite an adventure."

Marian gave her a quick hug and said good night as Margo closed the door. Jason practically fell out of the closet; apparently the weight of the clothes was pushing hard back against him and he basically did a forward roll out.

"Well that was interesting; please get rid of some of your clothes they are quite the pain when you hide in a cramped also smell strangely like fresh cherry blossoms in there. Do you know her?" Jason now seemed a bit focused on Margo.

"Not my fault you chose the worst hiding spot." She grinned.

"She is dating the drummer, Ian, but he can be quite the player if he wants to. Maybe she has a surprise for him? But, yeah if you guys don't' mind I'm quite tired need some sleep. I need to think of what I'm going to do about her.

" "You mean beauty sleep?" Quentin replied rhetorically, getting a punch on his arm for his efforts. It worked as Margo smiled and climbed into bed cuddling with Quentin and Jason falling asleep on the couch with a small blanket.

As Quentin awoke he saw Margo putting on her make up in the bathroom, she looked as stunning as she always had when they first met.'Her eyes could graze your soul, and her hair always had that perfect smell and her lip was softer than any pillow I ever slept on.'

Quentin leaned against the door railing and just watched Margo from afar as he always had done when he was at school. She looked at him in the mirror noticing that he was staring, and she smiled at him.

"Good morning snore head." Margo said sarcastically, he did snore but it wasn't that loud but you would notice if you went to bed after he was asleep.

"You don't know how long I waited to see you again. When I deleted all my details I knew I wouldn't be able to contact you, but at least we met." He moved closer to her and hugged her from behind. She laughed at this in delight as she swung around and kissed him fully on his lips. Jason woke up just as they finished kissing. He rubbed his still closed eyes trying to hide a certain tiredness that he showed in the morning that meant he wanted to sleep just that extra minute.

"Good morning Quentin, Margo, I still want to thank you for giving me a place to sleep last night." He looked at Margo, eyeing her carefully she was beautiful that was no lie but she was madly in love with Quentin and he was going to even go there, the bro code had strict rules and regulations regarding this.

"Don't even mention it a friend in need is a friend indeed." Margo smiled softly as Jason as he turned his head at the word "friend". He hadn't been called that word in a while. A word that very few people used and he betrayed all of those people.

'This time things will be different, I'll make myself worthy of that again.

Margo said that they needed some extra hands to help with the band as they were expanding quickly so she suggested that they all come with her for a job, but as they stepped outside Margo knew immediately that something was wrong, because there were no tires on her car and the only other transport that was close by seem to be a pair of horses that were just waiting in the parking lot. She knew this was going to be a long day.

AN: _(So there's another chapter under the belt, with a new character into the equation what will happen on this day. Stay tuned guys.)_

 _(PS. I wrote this chapter before going to work)_


	5. Chapter 5 The unusual day

**The unusual day**

 **Chapter 5**

 **AU: Sorry this took a while guys my internet was down and I've been on a holiday for a bit.**

Quentin looked on in confusion seeing that there were no apparent wheels on Margo's car. He noticed three horses that were strapped to the nearby lamp. "This doesn't surprise me, actually considering the friends that Margo usually makes."

Quentin earned a stare from Margo that would kill any grown man.

"If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under." He earned a hard punch to his arm that made his arm numb. Jason just looked on and sighed to him another adventure was something that he didn't want right now. He had already made a decision, going back now and regret would haunt him for a longer time.

"You guys know anything about horse riding?" Quentin stared at Margo and the both responded with a slight "no".

"Well its easy just keep yourself seated, thighs tight never lean forward and pull in the direction you want to turn." He had a broad smile on his face, he felt like a cowboy on the movies teaching the young people how to ride a horse.

As they started passing cars and streets the noticed the glitter of the golden sunrise, that was eclipsed by the pink cherry trees. They stopped and admired the sunrise for a few seconds before Jason noticed something strange, almost as if letters had been carved into the trees. He looked to where the shadow would fall.

'You're on the right track enter the blue one.' Strange he had never seen sunlight form letters in a tree before. As he looked up he noticed the big blue letter M painted on the 5th story window and there were different colours as well. The blue one stood out more because of it being painted over three different windows.

"Guys, come see this." Margo was complaining to Quentin how she was going to be late for work and that she must keep a sense of professionalism around her. Quentin tried saying something but was briefly stopped by Margo putting a finger to her mouth signalling for him to be quiet.

"Well, well, I didn't think she would go so far as to doing something as this. She must be referring the old hotel. We caught a lot of nonsense while held up in there." She looked up and pointed to all of the painted "M"s on the window.

"Each one tells a different story of our mischief or sometimes they just represent something."

She was referring to a small window that had a strange symbol on it but from this distance you would never be able to see how it resembled a heart.

"We going to stand around or going to go in there? We have a small mystery to take care of." Quentin was eager to find out this mystery as he had solved Margo's years earlier and a new one meant a new journey into the unknown and memories that would return. Those events were set into motion on that night.

They entered the building noticing that there was no artificial light and the only light that did they did see was from the light that shone through some spaces in the blocked out windows.

"Reminds me of my old place back where I lived not a lot of light and isolation from it, I spent most of my days in there contemplating ideas and how to resolve them. Never had a problem until an idea crept into my cranium that changed my life." He was focused on the dust and old furniture studying them as if they held some small details. Jason was intent on finding a solution to his problem one day because running was the worst possible resolution. He used to face his problems, now that the problem became too big to handle he was running from it.

They climbed up to the fourth floor and immediately noticed the amount of abandoned paint that stood around, still sealed in their tins. Margo seemed to keep them all in the hallway the abandoned building was quite dusty and had an unreal stench among it. They approached the room where the blue 'M' was and immediately noticed the amount of paper lying about, most of it was in small stacks other were just scattered about the dusty room. It was quite a small room to hold such a big window. Jason realized that something was off as the paint wasn't on the inside from where he was standing but instead on the other end. "Margo, is there an old window cleaner balcony on the roof?" Jason had just got an idea.

AU: So any thoughts on the story so far?


	6. Chapter 6 The unusual day (pt2)

**Ch.6 The unusual day (pt.2)**

 _ **AN: (Sorry that I'm late been busy with work and all, also had some problems finding inspiration, then I discovered music again so expect almost weekly uploads or updates)**_

"Yes there is, what do you have in mind?"

He moved towards the stairs and climbed them step by step. The company of Margo and Quentin had bought him a small bit of happiness that he could not let go. His mind raced with the thought of this new adventure that had intrigue at every turn. Halfway through climbing the stairs they took a small break as there was still quite a while to go.

"I think she left something in that painting bucket she used but she didn't want to any wanderers to notice so she hid it at a place that only almost nobody would think of looking. Should be interesting what we find if she hid it so thoroughly."

Margo glanced at Quentin and they both nodded in agreement. "She had a knack for turning any trip into an adventure, even if it was to the gas station. She would stir up an interesting conversation with a beggar or convince a shopkeeper that she is the daughter of a millionaire before running off and just disappearing again with some fake proof. Most of the times it was hilarious, but she didn't find it funny she found it intriguing how people reacted to her lies. Marian is quite a character."

She left a small chuckle.

"Reminds me of certain someone, who used to surprise people in almost the same way."

He winked at Margo and she threw a soft punch his way, Quentin laughed through the whole ordeal. They continued up the flight of stairs that seemed more like and endless waterfall.

As the slowly opened the door the cold air whipped up their backs and causing Jason even to let out a shrill of excitement.

"Reminds me of home, cold, beautiful and always sending a shiver up your spine."

"Never liked the cold it forced me to wear so much clothes that I felt like a cookie monster after he raided the cookie jar at the factory of cookie making." Quentin laughed at Margo's phrase.

"That is going to leave an image in my mind for a while."

Jason approached the window cleaner's balcony and immediately saw the not stuck beneath the blue paint can. It had a big red 'L' written across the face. Inside was even more astounding.

'The letter of so much meaning, yet there could be so much answers that would confuse even the greatest fiddler. So here's a clue: A map of hearts will convene near the lights of many a corner. The place where the chicken never crossed the road there near an alley in the waste of life shall you find your next clue.'

Jason looked up and suddenly noticed the vastness of New York. The way the concrete jungle had eclipsed through this mesmerising view. Central Park lay before them, with the empire state sitting just to the east and the sun still rising through the sea sky. Quentin gave his jacket to Margo so she could at least stop her uncontrollable shivering.

"So… You found anything? Besides the view of course, reality can sometimes obscure the true beauty that this world has to offer."

He handed Margo the note and let out a faint smile. "Wiser words haven't been spoken, my…"

A small silence, should he consider the word. The last time he used it proved to be the opposite, but something seemed different. A world without love is not worth it.

"Friend, we seem to be at a junction where to look next, but it could lead to some more running through the streets on horses walking or just plain relaxing at areas."

Margo closed her eyes and started thinking. "Maybe she…"

An alarm went off and all three of them suddenly had the same idea. "Run!"

 **AN: (It's so good to be back)**


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